Finally got out for some real shooting

[Chrisj CMA]

Last week I went to the range and got the S&W 500 sighted in.  Saturday we went to the clay pit and had several targets at different ranges set up from 30 yards to 100 yards.  Did some tactical shooting...one handed double action.  The gun was more managable one haded than I expected. 

This is one bad boy I never want to be looking down the wrong end of the barrel.  Im telling you this thing WILL LEAVE A MARK.

Oh, I was amazed!  No elevation drop or sight picture adjustment needed to hit out to 100  yards.....that thing is moving!!

[Serk]

Yup, I love mine!

There's no kill like an overkill!

[czuch]

For when you just dont want to say it twice.

[Psychotic Bovine]

I need to get my new hand cannon out to the range.  I don't think 100 yards is real possible, though.

[Jess from VA]

Dude, the perspective on that pic makes it look like you could stick a beer can down the bore.  

My .44 Mags will have to do.

My newest addition to the arsenal is a Stag Model 8 piston driven AR15 carbine (M4).   http://www.gunblast.com/Stag-Model8.htm





With an Eotech 552 Holosight on top:   http://www.eotech-inc.com/product.php?id=3&cat=1

AR15 Carbine & EO Tech Holographic Weapons Sight	powered by Aeva

[Sludge]

Oooohh Im in lust now.   Ive got Piston Envy 

Piston driven.  The way the original design SHOULD have been.  Both of mine are gas impingement systems... I just cant justify a new one just for the piston....   

Maybe somewhere down the road parts availability will get better and I will just build another upper.

[Jess from VA]

I just cant justify a new one just for the piston....   Maybe somewhere down the road parts availability will get better and I will just build another upper.

I have an A2 HBar, and could get one more AR.  I wanted an M4, and decided on the Stag Piston as only a little more expensive, so I got it.  There's nothing wrong with gas impingement... just clean the rifle like we were taught. 

I am not adding another 6 lbs of forearms, foregrips, rails, lights, lasers, winches, pulleys, yada. 

Building another upper for an existing rifle is a very good and reasonable idea. 

I actually would like to have a complete .22LR upper. 

[Sludge]

Oh, I know there isnt anything wrong with it.  It just gets dirtier.  I have a standard 20 inch A2 from Armalite and its just a fabulous rifle.  Its set up with an Aimpoint Comp ML2 over the handguard in front of the carry handle.  That way I can still use iron sights for 300, 400, 500yd stuff.  Her name is Sally

My other is a tricked out CTR-02 from JP.  It has a Nikon tactical scope on top for long work and an Aimpoint mounted on a cant just in front of the ejection port for speedy close up work (3 gun matches)

Her name is Vera

[big turkey]

That's a purdy gun there Chris.

I like to shoot big pistols, a buddy has one of those Casull 454's and a scope to boot.

It kicked not too bad for a big bore pistol.

I like my Ruger Mini14 NRA Edition with Houge Grip on the whole stock with the barrel

shortened for accuracy.

Insignia of the NRA on the bottom of the comb.

it's a keeper. And free scope rings which I utilized with a premium scope and end ring on the scope

to minimize glare, looks like a ray gun with that big scope.

Also each one purchased, Ruger donates a sum of money to the NRA, thus the NRA Model.

Mini-14 20 round rapid fire with muzzle flash	powered by Aeva

[Jess from VA]

Sally and Vera are a couple of sweethearts.  LOL   (I don't name mine)

The next debate is whether to scrap my beautiful tiger walnut stock (with 10 thin coats of linseed oil lovingly applied) on the M1A or spend money to make it look like this.



Man I wish I had such a nice computer table..... mine shares a reloading bench.  

PS:  I'm retired and money is now tight..... so how much does that toilet attendant thing pay?   

[Jess from VA]

Last week I went to the range and got the S&W 500 sighted in.  Saturday we went to the clay pit and had several targets at different ranges set up from 30 yards to 100 yards.  Did some tactical shooting...one handed double action.  The gun was more managable one haded than I expected. 

This is one bad boy I never want to be looking down the wrong end of the barrel.  Im telling you this thing WILL LEAVE A MARK.

Oh, I was amazed!  No elevation drop or sight picture adjustment needed to hit out to 100  yards.....that thing is moving!!

Man, check out the muzzle flash!!  It would be an awesome sight at night.

.50 cal Smith & Wesson	powered by Aeva

[Sludge]

yea that would be awesome at night.  In low light after about 6 shots with a .45ACP out of my 1911 my night vision is gone and target recognition without a flashlight is out the window.  With that thing ONE shot and the night vision would be gone LOL

Keep the ole M14 as she is.  The TactiCool stuff goes more with the AR platform anyway. 

Jess, you seem to be into alot of the same rifles and such that I am into.  You wouldnt happen on the off chance to know how to reload for the 5.7x28 FN P90 would ya?  There is some kind of lacquer on the shells that it needs to function properly and my understanding is that after a couple of reloads it can cause a malfunction when that lacquer takes off on ya.  Ive just purchased some dies for it but havent even looked up loads for it yet. 

[Serk]

Jess - As was said, keep the M1A authentic! If ya' want tacticool, get a poodle puncher or a SOCOM...

And on the 500... Yup, it's BIG... With all this discussion, I got the camera out on my bench and took a few pics to show it's size...

This is a empty S&W 500 brass with a 5.56 brass (What the AR15/M16/M4 uses) sitting inside of it:
Remember, this is a HANDGUN round with a RIFLE round sitting inside of it!



The 500 and the 5.56 side by side:



On the left is a 220 grain .44 caliber bullet (I.E. 44 Magnum). On the right is a 700 grain bullet for the S&W 500. 700 grains is 1/10th of a pound of lead... That thing slings some SERIOUS metal down range! (The 700 grain loads are custom cast by a guy in Alaska, most "normal" S&W 500 loads are "only" in the 350-550 grain range)



And one more broader comparison shot... From left to right, we have:

9mm Parabellum (9x19)
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
5.56 (.223)
.44 Magnum
S&W 500

[Sludge]

Nice pics Serk.  You smelting your own .50s or buying em?

[Serk]

Nice pics Serk.  You smelting your own .50s or buying em?

I've been buying 'em from this guy:

http://www.lsstuff.com/ranger-rick/

I've considered getting into smelting but... With a 7 year old in the house, and with reloading and shooting and such, I figure she gets enough lead in her diet as it is, don't wanna really add anymore...

[Sludge]

I treated myself to some smelting equipment, dies, lubrisizer, ... this past Christmas. 

You do any distance work?  I play a bit with .300WinMag, .308win and .223 at various distances.  .300 out to about 800m on flesh at the moment.  I want to go farther but you know how it is... TIME.  Time to develop loads, TIME to test, TIME learning conditions better, ...  One day I want to make a mile shot on paper or steel at least.  I will need another gun for that though.  Perhaps a .338 Lapua Mag or something.

[Jess from VA]

Jess, you seem to be into alot of the same rifles and such that I am into.  You wouldn't happen on the off chance to know how to reload for the 5.7x28 FN P90 would ya?  

No sir, I have no clue.  Truth to tell, I have a lot more experience with firearms than reloading.  I got an RL550B when Clinton started talking about powder tagants and ammo taxes, and learned how to do some pistol calibers, but never really mastered the craft.  Drawing good paychecks with little time, I just ordered ammo delivered in bulk.  Now on a pauper's pension, I will have to revisit this hobby.

Sludge, I seem to remember reading somewhere that the FN Five Seven was most dependent on it's military grade ammunition which was not available to the public, and that the commercially available stuff was far less effective.  I really thought this pistol with a 20 round mag was amazing, but not if they were going to hide the ball with the proper ammo.  Am I wrong?


Yes, I guess the original wood is pretty nice.  I sure spent some time on it.

[Sludge]

There is a good ammo using a hornady bullet available.  Its pricey but available.  The military ammo was banned because it defeated soft body armor so easily even out of the handgun.

I got my P90 on a whim.  Had a brother Mason at a Christmas dinner that is a gun dealer talking to me and the flavor of the week in the media was the "cop killer"  5.7 round.  I didnt want the pistol, but I told him if he got a chance to get me a P-90.  They were hard to come by at the time and so I forgot about it for about 8 months until I got a call from him one day excitedly telling me that he had got his hands on one.  Well, I had told him that I would take it, so I did.  The price was cheap and is still less than market pricing by a good bit.  At any rate, I played with it, carried it in the farm truck a bit as an easy to stow varmint gun and tried it out.  Its no long range weapon, but its a damn fine ground hog killer at close ranges.  The reflex site could use some improvement, but its ok. 

There is one other neat MISTAKE by ATF on this gun... but I wont go into that on the forum 

I keep mine around as a conversation piece and to drag out for company now and then.  Perhaps one day it will go up in price being that they arent really all that common.

[Sludge]

Dang!  I just saw the picture of the stock.  Hell NO I wouldnt modify that rifle.  Thats freaking beautiful wood.

[X Ring]

I actually would like to have a complete .22LR upper.

The consensus on AR15.com is Spike's Tactical.  http://www.spikestactical.com/z/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=72_73&products_id=122

Marty

[X Ring]

The next debate is whether to scrap my beautiful tiger walnut stock (with 10 thin coats of linseed oil lovingly applied) on the M1A or spend money to make it look like this.

You screw up that gorgeous M1A and I'll ride up there to slap you in the back of the head.  For the price of a SOCOM, SOCOM II or convert yours with a stock, you can have a really nice .308 AR.  Earlier this year I bought a really nice ArmaLite AR-10A4 with the green stock for $1300 then added a really SWS rail forend for a couple hundred more.  You can get a carbine for about the same price and have the same ergos as your M4.

Marty

[Jess from VA]

I got my P90 on a whim.

Whoops, I got the P90 (bullpup) confused with the 5.7 pistol.  

Still, they use the same ammo we are discussing.

The consensus on AR15.com is Spike's Tactical.

Thanks Marty.  

 

[Jess from VA]

Earlier this year I bought a really nice ArmaLite AR-10A4 with the green stock for $1300 then added a really SWS rail forend for a couple hundred more.

Actually, if I got a new .308, it would probably be the FNAR...... though the mags are ridiculous.

[Varmintmist]

Here's one of my newer ones

  
220gr RN screaming out at about 2000fps

[Chrisj CMA]

WOW....you cant see any flash in the daytime outside.....I am going to have to find a place to pop a few off at night.  I see if my camera can capture it with the quick fire mode.  That fireball was impressive

[solo1]

Here's one of my newer ones

  
220gr RN screaming out at about 2000fps

My Dad in the '30's bought a 30/40 Craig like yours for $8.00 never issued.  Very slick but weak action.

I am clearly out gunned here. My .44 mag is now a pisqueak.  My .223 Savage bolt action target grade barrel with laminated stock and Delphos trigger is the same but the accuracy's not bad.

[Varmintmist]

Its not a really a weak action, it is designed to shoot heavy bullets slow, and it will do that with a action that is like greased elephant snot into tighter groups than most people can hold.

Trouble comes when people try to make cartridges do what they are not made for. If you want 300 Winchester Magnum velocities, you dont start with a Krag action. 2000fps will open any hunting bullet made out to 300 yds but the gun rags need to sell new mag du jour's so folks who are hunting under 100 yards are using XXX magnums.

8.00??  I passed on quite a few because I didnt want to drop 400.00, then they dried up. I found this one for 800.00!! Its a 1896 made in 1898 and I have shot 3 rnd groups at 127 yds off a bench that a quarter would touch all the holes. Shot the Vintage match at Camp Perry with it and this year was
  98 - 2
  92 - 3
  78 - 1
  268 - 6
Not to bad with the arm still boogered up. Kinda fell apart on my hind feet though.

Cut up Krags are around pretty frequently because they surplused them out cheap and folks cut the stocks and bbls up. Its hard to find a decent one with good wood now, even harder to find one with cartouches because a lot had the finish removed by scraping, in the arsenal.